Barrel-cover fastener.



sra'r HARRY U. RUEDY, 0F TOLEDO,- OHIO.

BARREL-COVER FASTEN ER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY U. RUEDY, citizen of the United States, residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Barrel-Cover Fasteners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has reference to barrel cover fasteners and it has for its object to provide a simple and inexpensive head for a barrel or cask which may be conveniently and almost instantly removed and again replaced should it be desired to inspect or remove the contents of thepackage.

The invention is of especial value in its application to barrels containing food products and particularly to barrels containing pork, the latter when in the form of hams requiring frequent turning during the process of curing.

To this end the invention embodies the novel arrangement of the parts and the details of construction hereinafter shown, described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings made part hereof, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a Cask or barrel with my improved head tlr'e-reon; Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on line ain-, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragment of the head showing the form of the receiving openings about its margin.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is a Cask oi barrel the head of which is in two parts 2 and 3, the part 2 forming an annular margin which is firmly supported by the staves in the usual manner employed in the construction of barrels, and the central, circular part 3 forming the body of the removable head. The margin or rim is grooved out annularly at 4 to receive a metal ring 5' which is provided at equal distances about the same with upwardly extending screwthreaded studs G and nuts 7 thereon, the ring 5 being firmly secured to the rim 2 by screws 8 directed therethrough. The removable head 3 has secured about its margin an annular casting 9 which overlies the ring 5. This casting is provided in the portion which extends beyond themargin of the removable head with openings 10 disposed at equidistant points therein and these openings are of a diameter to permit the un- Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led April 2, 1908.

Patented Nov. 8, 1910.

serial No. 424,726.

hindered passage therethrough of the nuts 7 upon the studs 6.

Extending laterally from each opening 10 is an elongated narrow slot l1 which forms a continuation of the opening, and all of these slots are disposed in the same circle struck from the center of the head. When the -studs are disposed in the slots 11, the nuts 7 will overlie the casting 9 or the portions thereof which form the margins of the slots, so that upon tightening the nuts the removable head 3 will be forced downward in the direction of the interior of the barrel.

To seal the barrel to hold liquid therein there is provided a compressible packing 12 of suitable material such as cork, which is permanently held in place in a shoulder 13 which extends entirely around the margin of the removable head, the packing being seated upon the margin 14 of the rim 2 when the removable head is clamped in position. To remove the head the nuts upon the studs are each unscrewed a couple of turns, or a sufiicient extent to free them from firm engagement with the casting 9. The removable head inay then be slightly rotated in a left-hand direction until the nuts upon the studs are over the openings 10, when the head may be lift-ed from the barrel. After inspection or removal of the contents, the head' may again be readily replaced, and since the securing nuts remain in place upon the studs while the head is removed, it is apparent that no time is lost in the operation.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. Ina head for casks, barrels, and the like, an annular rim, a closure for the space inclosed by the rim, bolts and nuts carried by the rim but unexposed at the lower face of the rim for securing the closure to the rim and means rigidly connected to the olosure and cooperating with the said bolts and nuts.

2. In a head for casks, barrels and the like, an annular rim, a closure for the space inclosed by the rim, a ring distinct from and carried by the rim, a series of upstanding bolts carried by said ring, and means carried by said closure and cooperating .with said bolts to secure the closure to the rim.

3. In a head for casks, barrels, and the like, an annular rim having an annular recess in its upper face, a closure for the space inolosed by the rim, a ring secured in the said recess, a series of upstanding bolts carried by said ring, and means carried by said closure and cooperating with said bolts to secure the closure to the rim.

4l. In combination, a receptacle having its head provided with an opening, a metallic reinforcing member secured to the head and surrounding the opening thereof, bolts projecting from the head and secured thereto by said member, nuts Carried by said bolts, a closure for the opening having a non-inetallic inner surface and a surrounding eX- ternal flange, said flange being provided with a plurality of coaxial segmental slots adapted to receive the securing bolts and each having an end enlarged to permit the bolt nuts to be drawn therethrough when the closure has been turned to place said enlargements in register therewith.

5. In combination, a receptacle having its lhead provided with an opening, bolts projecting outwardly from the head, nuts carried by the outer ends of said bolts, a closure for the opening having a surrounding external flange, said flange being provided with a plurality of coaxial segmental slots adapted to receive the securing bolts, and each having an end enlarged to permit the bolts and the nuts carried thereby to be drawn therethrough when the closure is turned to place said enlargements in register therewith.

6. In a Cask having a head consisting of an annular rim and a central removable closure, a plurality of screw studs extending upwardly from the rim, nuts upon the studs, a casting disposed about the margin of the closure having openings to permit the nuts upon the studs to pass therethrough and also having narrow elongated slots which form a continuation of the openings, the margins of the slot-s providing a bearing for the nuts, and a packing between the Closure and the rim, substantially as described.

7. In a casl having a head Consisting of an annular rim and a central removable closure, aring secured upon the rim, a plurality of screw-threaded studs extending upwardly from the ring at equidistant points thereon, nuts upon the studs, a Casting secured to and extending outwardly from the margin of the central closure and provided with equidistant openings adapted to receive the nuts upon the studs, and elongated narrow slots connecting with the nut-receiving openings adapted to receive lthe studs, the slots being in the line of a circle about the center of the head, and apacking be tween the rim and the removable closure, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY U. RUEDY. Titnesses CARL H. KELLER, ALBERT P. MCKEE. 

